Welcome to Southwood
The charcoal project
Rhododenron is an invasive plant that poisons the soil, excludes light for other species and creates ideal soil conditions for phytophtera ranorum which is deadly to larch and sweet chestnut in particular. The Forestry Commission is keen to see efforts by landowners to stop its spread eliminate and more can be read about this in Managing and Controlling Invasive Rhododendron here:
Traditionally the Commission have required the cleared rhododendron to be burned, but the toxic fumes make this both unpleasant for those doing it and a potential nuisance for the neighbours.
Rhododendron lining the main track in Southwood.
A New Approach
Turning rhododendron into charcoal is way to capture the main carbon elements of the plants and recycle it rather than simply burning it. However, the temperature of a traditional steel kiln for charcoaling is not quite hot enough to burn off all the toxic elements within the wood. The recent development of retorts [e.g. https://youtu.be/nhqFsCuo058] for charcoaling solves this problem as a retort reaches higher temperatures, creating purer charcoal or Biochar which can be safely used for cooking or as a fertiliser. In 2020 we acquired a Hookway retort and we are on our way to becoming a market leader in rhododendron recycling! The University of Bangor's study on the potential ways to recycle rhododendron can be read here:
The Pond
The pond is a good example of a new habitat we want to develop. We have dammed the small stream that runs through the wood to create a small pond and have cleared some of the surrounding trees to let more light in. A opreviously bare piece of ground is now densely filled with flowering plants and bushes. This should be providing food sources for insects, frogs and other creatures who in turn would themselves be a food source, but the pond has all but disappeared, taken over by the plants. We need to dig it out further, extend the area of the pond and build a better dam.
The History
The wood is classified as Ancient Woodland by Natural England, which means that it has been wooded since at least 1600. We know almost nothing about the history yet, but already we have found three small platforms cut into the hillside that could be old charcoal-makers' hearths. We thought that the wide presence of hazel coppice stools was part of this history, but have since learned that this and other Taw Valley woods were once extensively worked both for charcoal made primarily from coppiced oak. One of the by-products was to use the bark for leather tanning. Once we know more, we'd like to produce some information boards for visitors.